Fine-line writing marker



Filed Dec. l, 1965 #from/.emr

United States Patent C St 18,910 U.S. Cl. 401-199 5 Claims Int. Cl. B43k 5 00, 1/12 ABSTRACT GF THE DISCLOSURE An ink marker for marking ne lines in which an ink channel assures a continuous ow of ink to the writing nib the diameter of which is such that it will draw tine lines.

The present invention relates to a line-line ink marker, and more particularly to a marker including a stick-shaped writing member dipping into a supply of ink or other writing liuid contained in a cartridge exchangeably fitted in a shell housing and supporting the writing member, the interior of the cartridge, which may include a uidabsorbing material, being connected with the Iatmosphere by an air make-up channel or duct.

With ink markers of the general kind above referred to, the air venting frequently presents practical problems. Several rather complex air-venting systems have been proposed. It has also been proposed to provide an air vent by punctur'ing the rear end of the cartridge. All airventing proposals as heretofore known are far from satisfactory and also tend to cause ink spots on the hands and clothing of the user of the marker.

Another disadvantage of line-line ink markers as heretofore known is that if the writing member thereof is made as thin as is required for fine-line writing, the member is not sufficiently strong and stit, and it also tends to provide an insucient feeding of ink, and if the writing mem'- ber is made suiciently thick to give it adequate strength and ink-feeding capability, it does not permit sufficiently fine-line writing.

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved fine-line ink marker of the general kind above referred to which is capable of fine-line Writing and yet has suflicient strength and ink-feeding capability.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved fine-line ink marker the air-venting means of which are more effective and simpler than in markers of this kind as heretofore known.

According to the invention, tine-line writing capability combined with satisfactory strength and ink-'feeding capability of the writing member are attained by providing a writing member which has a major portion with a diameeter suicient to give the member adequate strength and ink-feeding capability and a short thin writing portion to permit the drawing of tine lines. The writing portion of the writing member is set off from the major portion and preferably joined thereto by a shoulder. Due to the comparatively large diameter of the major portion of the writing member, good ink-feeding capability is assured. Moreover, the writing member can be safely and strongly mounted in the shell, and the marker can also be conveniently assembled.

The writing member, and more particularly its writing portion, is advantageously secured in a bushing, such as a metal bushing, which in turn is fitted into the forward end of the shell. In the event a cartridge containing absorptive material for retaining a supply of ink is used and the writing member is extended into the absorptive material, the bushing may be secured with its rear part in ice telcartridge and protrudes with its forward end `from the s e l.

Satisfactory Venting capability of the marker is obtained according to the invention by providing at the forward end of the ink cartridge a vent which opens into the interior of the shell and is preferably continued Iby a lengthwise groove in the inner wall of the cartridge. The shell itself may also have a venting opening.

The lengthwise groove in the cartridge is advantageously provided in a throat portion thereof and may be continued into the wall of the cartridge encompassing the absorptive material therein. In addition, a further groove may be provided in the absorptive material itself, preferably in substantial registry with the groove in the cartridge wall.

A protective cap for protecting the writing assembly of the marker and covering the air vent in the cartridge may be provided to protect the assembly during storage and transport and to prevent an outflow of ink therefrom.

Other and further objects, features and advantages of the invention will be pointed out hereinafter and set forth in the appended claims constituting part of the application.

In the accompanying drawing a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown by way of illustration, and not 4by way of limitation.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a lengthwise view of a fine-line marker according to the invention, partly in section;

FIG. 2 is a section taken on line II-II of FIG. l on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 3 is a section of the forward portion of the marker on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 4 is a view, partly in section, of the upper part of the writing assembly of the marker with a protective cap attached thereto, and

FIG. 5 is a section taken on line V-V of FIG. 4.

Referring now to the figures in detail, the marker comprises a two-part shell composed of a front part 1 and a rear part 2 suitably and detachably joined, for instance by a screw joint as indicated. The shell may be made of any suitable material, such as metal or plastic. A closure cap 12 may be placed upon the forward part of the shell. The cap is shown as having attached thereto a clip 13 of conventional design.

The shell houses a writing assembly. This assembly comprises a cartridge 3 containing a suitable writing fluid, such as ink. The cartridge is preferably partly filled with a suitable absorptive material 4, which should be visualized as being more or less saturated with ink. The assembly `further comprises the writing member, shown as a stick 5, which protrudes into the ink supply, and more specifically into the absorptive material 4. It may be made of compressed bers of a suitable plastic, so that it is capable of absorbing and conducting ink. Writing sticks of this kind are well known in the art for use in markers of the kind here involved.

The writing stick is of generally cylindrical configuration. It has as its forward end a writing portion 6 which has a substantially smaller diameter than the main portion of the writing stick and is joined thereto by a preferably sloping shoulder 7. It is evident from the figures that even though by far the largest portion of the writing stick is of a thickness sufficient to give it adequate strength and ink-feeding capability, the stick permits fineline writing, due to the thin writing end 6, which is preferably rounded at its tip.

The writing stick 5, 6 is supported in a bushing or insert 8, preferably made of metal. This bushing, which 4also constitutes part of the writing assembly, has a mounting portion 9 which is fitted in the forward end of cartridge 3 and has a constricted or throat portion 10 which protrudes through a vent opening 11 provided in the -A forward end of the shell part 1. As can best be seen in FIG. 3, the forward end of the bushing protrudes from the shell and protects the thin writing end 6 of the writing stick except for the tip thereof.

The cartridge receives the bushing in a throat portion 14 which includes a vent opening 15 connecting the interior of cartridge 3 with the interior of shell part 1, and thus with the atmosphere, via shell opening 11. Vent 15 is preferably continued by a lengthwise groove16 in the inner wall of throat portion 14 of the cartridge. Groove 16, invturn, is preferably continued by a groove 17 in the peripheral wall of absorptive material 4. A further groove may lbe provided in the respective inner wall portion of the cartridge, preferably in substantial registry with groove 17. As is now evident, any subatmospheric pressure developing in cartridge 3 due to consumption of ink therein or due to temperature changes is immediately compensated by make-up air drawn into the cartridge through opening 11, vent 1S, and grooves or ducts 16 and 17.

The writing assembly is detachably fitted into the shell. During an exchange of the writing assembly to replace a spent cartridge by a fresh cartridge, a protective cap 18, as shown in FIG. 4, may be placed upon the forward end of theV cartridge assembly to cover the writing tip and also vent 15 for guarding a-gainst damage to the tip and an outiiow of ink at the tip. This protective cap may, of course, also be used during storage and transport of the cartridge assembly. The protective cap 18 may be discarded after it has served its purpose.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to 'a certain now preferred example and embodiment thereof, it will `be understood by those skilled in art, after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is intended, therefore, to cover all such changes and modifications in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A fine-line writing marker comprising in combination:

a substantially rigid generally cylindrical shell closed on one end and having an opening at its other end;

a substantially rigid generally cylindrical cartridge fitted `in said shell, said cartridge being open at its end facing the open end of the shell and closed at the other end, said cartridge having adjacent to its open end a vent opening communicating with the interior of the shell;

a form retaining absorptive body capable of absorbing a supply of writing fluid fitted in said open cartridge end, said absorptive body and said cartridge delining 4 Atherebetweenv a lengthwise vent groove Vcommunicating with said vent opening; and a generally cylindrical writing member made of a uid absorbing material, saidV member having a set-olf lengthwise end portion of reduced diameter constituting a fine-line writing nib, the full diameter member Iportion extending into said absorptive 'body through the open end of the cartridge and being guided therein and the nib portion protruding with clearance from .said shell opening whereby said groove, said cartridge vent opening and said shell opening constitute a continuous vent channel leading from the interior of the cartridge to the atmosphere. 2. A writing marker according to claim 1, rwherein said shell is a two-part shell, and said cartridge is loosely fitted into the shell for removal therefrom. 3. A writing marker according to claim 1 and comprising a bushing having a mounting portion secured in the cartridge adjacentA to the open end thereof, said mounting portion defining with the adjacent cartridge wall a vent channel portion communicating with the Vent opening of the cartridge and the groove `between the absorptive body 'and the cartridge, and a constricted portion protruding with clearance from said open end of the shell, the full diameter portion of said writing member extending through the bushing into said absoprtive body and the nib of the writing member protruding from the constricted portion ofthe bushing.

4. A marker according to claim 3, wherein said cartridge has a main portion fitting the inner diameter of the shell and Aa throat portion, the throat portion receiving the mounting portion of said bushing and having said channel in its inner wall.

5. A marker according to claim 1, and comprising a bushing supporting the writing member and secured'in the cartridge, said cartridge, said writing member and said bushing constituting `a writing assembly detachably fitted in said shell.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,140,009 12/1938 Hand 15-563 2,416,596 2/1947 Rosenthal 15-563 v2,593,599 4/1952 Patch 15-563 3,048,879 8/1962 Rosenthal 15-563 3,221,360 12/1965 Seeman 15-537 3,221,361 12/1965 Cline 15-563 3,278,976 10/1966 Ward 15-563 3,181,539 5/1965 Aston 401-188 3,353,899 11/ 1967 Hechtle 401-198 ROBERT W. MICHELL, Primary Examiner. 

